Category Archives: Subjects and Themes

Innovative new scheme uses music to develop emotional literacy in nursery children


Music and Me: Innovative new scheme uses music to develop emotional literacy in nursery children

http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=845

East Lothian Council announces that ‘Music and Me’ is a new scheme, piloted at Wallyford and Whitecraig Primaries, which seeks to develop early literacy and emotional literacy skills in nursery children.  The successful pilot has led to the development of a resource pack, which is about to be rolled out to all East Lothian nurseries, and training for staff who want to use ‘Music and Me’ will be taking place in Autumn 2011.

Robert Burns birthplace museum shortlisted for museum of the year



Creative Scotland announces that the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayrshire has been short listed for the Art Fund Prize 2011 – the £100,000 prize for the ‘Museum of the Year’.

The museum delivers plenty of creative opportunities for pupils and young people. You can find out more by visiting http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk/


http://www.creativescotland.com/news/robert-burns-birthplace-museum-shortlisted-for-%E2%80%98museum-of-the-year%E2%80%99

Young people to explore the written world



The Highland Council reports that an innovative partnership has been forged by The Highland Council, Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre and Abriachan Forest Trust for a creative writing project which will give P7 pupils from 11 schools the opportunity to work with professional writers after exploring and getting inspiration from the forest.

http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2011/May/2011-05-18-03.htm

Running over a two week period, the pupils will spend the mornings in the Abriachan forest planting new trees and searching for animal tracks and signs ranging from mammals, dragonflies on the wing, trout in the burn and toads in the undergrowth.  After a picnic lunch the learners will move to Moniack Mhor Writer’s Centre and work with writers Linda Cracknell and Gerry Cambridge to compose poems or riddles on what they saw during the morning session.

Incredible Film Competition for schools and youth groups

The hunt is on for teams of young people to represent Scotland in a competition linked to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Young people across Scotland are getting the chance to make films that answer two questions:

If you could change one thing in your neighborhood, what would it be? And what could you do to change it?

It’s part of a competition called Big Voice from BT, and it’s one of the education programmes linked to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. To enter, teams of young people aged 11-19 need to submit their film proposal by May 27th.

Three teams from Scotland, chosen by judges, will get £1000 and support from a team of film students from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to produce their film next Autumn. They will also qualify for up to £5,000 and support from Unltd., a charity which supports social entrepreneurs, to turn their ideas into a community project.

The resulting films will be screened on giant London 2012 Live Site screens  all over the UK during Spring 2012, with the Scottish winner being announced at a Live Site event in Glasgow. The final stage of the competition is an Oscars-style ceremony to announce the UK winners just before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games begin.

“BT’s Big Voice is a great opportunity for young people to learn how to work together, consider the big issues, and get a chance to express themselves. It comes with free resources that make it a really educational project,” said Brendan Dick, Director BT Scotland.

The project supports several aspects of the Curriculum for Excellence including interdisciplinary learning, personal achievement and subject areas like the expressive arts and social studies.

There’s still time for other schools or youth groups to enter: the deadline for the first stage of the competition is 27 May 2011.

Full details: www.bt.com/bigvoice

For more information on BT’s Big Voice contact:

Tom Osborn on 020 8960 6069 or btbigvoice@dialogics.com

For press enquiries contact

Anne Bailey on 020 8960 6069 or anne@dialogics.com

Notes to editors:

  1. Big Voice comes with a set of five video based resources that introduce the project, teach the skills of group discussion, creative problem solving, turning ideas into a film, and how to develop a film proposal to enter the competition.
  2. Students will have the unique chance to incorporate stock footage from the BBC archive as part of their final film. This could include aerial photography, crowd scenes, or other video or audio material relevant to their script that would otherwise be impossible to film in the time and budget available.

New Tall Ships Glow Group launched

‘Get on Board’ Glow Group and Glow Meet http://ltsblogs.org.uk/glowscotland/2011/05/04/glow-inverclyde-and-the-tall-ships-races-2011/



A Glow Group <https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/inverclydecouncil/Get%20Onboard/default.aspx> has been set up to celebrate the Tall Ships Races 2011, offering a wide range of information and activities for teachers and pupils.  A related World of Work Wednesday Glow Meet, ‘Working on the River Clyde’ will take place 2-3pm on 11 May. Sign up <https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Enterprise%20in%20Education/World%20of%20Work%20Online/default.aspx> for the Glow Meet.

Are you 14 or more? Is music your calling?

Scottish Opera Connect:
Get up close and personal with opera

Scottish Opera Connect gives aspiring 14 to 21 year old singers and orchestral musicians a unique, practical introduction to the skills and experience needed to perform this fantastic art form. Whether you’re a singer or a player, this is your chance to shine.

Connect Chorus

Our Connect Chorus meets throughout the year for a programme of evening and weekend workshops, running from September to April. During the year the group works with a range of professionals involved in making opera in Scotland. Composers, conductors, voice coaches, stage directors, choreographers and wardrobe designers come together to lead you in sessions on everything from singing and stagecraft to Alexander Technique and backstage management. To join Connect Chorus you need to complete our Gateway Course in July. Full details are on our website.

Connect Orchestra

Like Connect Chorus, our Connect Orchestra follows a programme of evening and weekend sessions running from September to April. Professional players from The Orchestra of Scottish Opera work with the group as mentors throughout the course, helping you develop everything you need to perform. You’ll work on technical and ensemble skills, explore the history and background to all that is opera, and take part in rehearsal sessions with solo singers, guest conductors and choral voices.

Deadline for applications:
Monday 23 May 2011

For full dates and details of both courses and to download an application form, head to the Connect page on the Scottish Opera website.

http://scottishopera.cmail4.com/t/ViewEmail/r/98A22E811B583719

Using Film in Education CPD – 12th May 2011

FILM: 21ST CENTURY LITERACY and SCREEN WM

A seminar for professionals working with young people in schools and communities demonstrating how film can radically improve how you engage with young people and impact on their learning.


The seminar provides an essential opportunity for professionals working across the West Midlands to hear about the latest initiatives and resources in film education, and share best practice.
Attendance is free but places are limited and getting booked up as we speak. Book your place here:
filmliteracywm.eventbrite.com/ <http://firstlight.cmail3.com/t/y/l/zuywl/hidrkuhjl/n/>